


Servicing

by jamesgatz1925



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Career, Developing Relationship, First Meeting, Fluff, M/M, sonny is a mechanic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-13 16:00:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14115858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jamesgatz1925/pseuds/jamesgatz1925
Summary: A Barisi Archive Wish List fill for the prompt: “Sonny restores vintage cars, Rafael brings his Mustang in for servicing”. I turned it into “Sonny is a cute mechanic!”





	Servicing

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t know anything about cars!

“Dom’s Auto, Sonny speaking, how can I service you today?”

Sonny always laughed at his own joke. It wasn’t really a joke, as all business offering a service are, in fact, servicing. But the wording had a double meaning because his dad owned an auto shop, so he was offering a customer service car servicing. Inevitably, his best detail guy, Manny, would roll his eyes when Sonny answered the phone.

“I just need my car tuned up,” the man said on the other side of the line. “It’s not running right.”

“Sure, of course. What kind of car do you have?”

“Uhm...I don’t know. It’s old.”

“Old? Okay. Like an ‘01?”

“No, it’s a...’68.”

“No wonder it’s not running right, it’s fifty years old.” Sonny chuckled. He didn’t know what to expect of a ‘68. The guy didn’t know what kind of car it even was, he probably didn’t know how to take care of it properly.

“Alright,” Sonny said, “What’s your name?”

“Rafael.”

“Okay. Listen, Rafael, bring it in this afternoon and I’ll take a look at it, okay?”

“Okay, thank you.”

“No problem. See you soon.”

Sonny hung up and got back to work changing the oil on a rundown Nissan Sentra.

Hours ticked by and Sonny kept busy. He was the shop’s best mechanic, best salesman, and everyone who visited loved him. He was never bored, never without a beautiful car to work on, and never trying not to make everyone laugh. Which, they didn’t, but Sonny tried.

At five, Sonny was ready to call it a day. Everyone was closing up, but he and Manny were left to close.

Sonny was counting receipts at the shop’s counter when the front door pinged with a visitor.

Sonny looked up and his breath honest to God caught. The gorgeous man who walked in was wearing a fancy gray suit and a pair of dark aviator glasses. Boy, was he pretty. Sonny couldn’t pull his eyes away as the man looked around the shop.

“Who’s the suit?” Manny asked.

Sonny shrugged.

Manny called out to him. “Can I help you?”

The man finally looked at them. “I called earlier, I talked to, uh, Sonny?”

Sonny’s heart hammered in his chest. “I’m—“ he said, almost in a whisper. Then, he cleared his throat and tried again. “I’m Sonny.”

The man walked to the counter. “I called earlier,” he said. “Rafael Barba.”

“Right, the ‘68.”

Rafael nodded. “I hope I’m not too late—“

Manny spoke up. “Actually—“

Sonny held up a hand to Manny. “I got this.”

Manny looked at Sonny and raised an eyebrow. “Okay, bro. I’m out. Tell your dad I want the ‘77 comin’ in tomorrow.”

Sonny nodded, but for the life of him he couldn’t remember what Manny was talking about.

Then, Manny smirked as he quickly grabbed his backpack and headed for the door. “Buena suerte,” he muttered as he stepped past Rafael.

Rafael side-eyed Manny as he past, like they were speaking in a secret code.

Once the door was completely shut and Manny was gone, Rafael turned to Sonny again.

“So?” he asked.

Sonny swallowed nervously. “So?”

“My car?”

“Oh, right,” Sonny said. “Lead the way.”

Rafael slipped his sunglasses on before turning to the door again. Sonny took a few long seconds to check out the man’s ass in his nicely fitting slacks.

“I hope I’m not too late,” Rafael said as he led Sonny through the small parking lot. “I was stuck in court all day. Like I said on the phone, it just needs to be looked at and—“

Sonny watched Rafael as he spoke, barely sidestepping various equipment along the way. He was just enthralled in Rafael. Sonny thought he could watch Rafael talk forever.

But then they got to Rafael’s car. He stopped right in front of it and Sonny followed his gaze, then stopped dead.

“Holy shit,” Sonny said, eyes widening to the black ‘68 Mustang. It was in pristine condition, clean and sparkling, and Sonny’s mouth went a little bit dry again.

“What...how?” Sonny mumbled, stepping around the car to get a good look.

“It was my father’s,” Rafael said. “Only thing he left me with. I can’t seem to part with it. I keep it in a garage in Manhattan, and this weekend when I drove to D.C., it sounded funky.”

“Sure,” Sonny said, peering in the windows at the eggshell white seats. “It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah,” Rafael agreed noncommittally.

Sonny examined every bit of the car, circling it slowly before landing in front of Rafael again.

“You want me to...pop the hood?” Rafael asked.

“Oh, right,” Sonny said. “Fuck, it’s beautiful.”

“Poetic,” Rafael replied, slipping into the drivers seat.

The hood popped and Sonny caught it, pulling it up and instantly admiring the work inside. It was art. It was perfect, immaculate.

“Can you start it up?” Sonny asked.

Rafael did. The roar was so perfect that Sonny almost moaned. He gathered himself before really checking everything.

There was a slight problem with the engine that Sonny saw as an easy fix, and the car was good as new in less than half an hour.

“That should be it,” Sonny said. “Any more problems, give me a call.”

“Right,” Rafael said, “Thank you.”

Sonny smiled at him. He smiled for so long that it got weird. Pretty man plus pretty car? Sonny was a pile of mush.

“So,” Rafael finally said, “How much...”

“Oh, uh. It’s on the house.”

Rafael’s eyebrow raised. “Really?”

“Yeah. First time and all. Just promise to call me with a problem.”

“You...personally?”

“Or, uh...the shop.” Sonny could’ve kicked himself. It was the perfect opportunity to give Rafael his number!

Rafael looked slightly disappointed. “Alright. Well, I’d better...”

“Right,” Sonny said. “Thanks for your business.”

“Is it business if I wasn’t charged?” Rafael asked.

“Okay, then, my pleasure.”

Rafael smiled at him before slipping into the driver’s seat.

“Thanks, Sonny,” he said before closing the door.

He started the engine and Sonny held back a groan of approval. But as Rafael drove away, he bit his lip at the thought of Rafael and that car.

————-

“Sonny!”

Sonny was stuck under a beat up old Chevy, but he heard the yell through the shop.

“Yeah?” he called back.

He heard a muffled reply.

Sonny stopped tinkering with the tools.

“What?!” he yelled.

“Phone!”

“Message!”

“What?!”

Sonny sighed, then slid out from under the car and slowly stood.

“What do you want?” Sonny asked, grabbing a rag and walking to the counter.

“The fucking phone’s for you, hombre.”

Sonny sighed. He could tell Manny to take a message and get back to work, but he’s already out. Instead, Sonny grabs the phone while glaring at his friend.

“Sonny,” he answered.

“Hi, it’s...Rafael.”

Sonny swallowed. Nerves instantly rose in his belly and he took a slow breath.

“Hi, Rafael. What can I do for you?”

Sonny had made a mental list in the three days since he’d met Rafael of what he could do for the man.

“Well, uh...it sounds weird again. My car.”

“Really?” Sonny asked, interested. At least he could see Rafael again. “You wanna bring it in?” Pleasepleaseplease, Sonny silently added.

“Yeah. I can. Today?”

“Sure.”

“I have court this afternoon,” Rafael said. “How late is too late?”

“Any time is good.”

Sonny would wait all night if he had to.

“Will your friend be there?” Rafael asked.

Sonny glanced at Manny, who was knowingly smirking at him.

“Nah, he has an errand to run this afternoon.”

“Okay. Great,” Rafael said. “See you later.”

“Yeah, see you,” Sonny said, then he hung up.

Manny smiled at him. “Tengo errand, huh?”

“Shut up,” Sonny said, blushing.

Manny nudged him playfully. “Maybe he needs some servicing, eh muchacho?”

Sonny turned impossibly more red. He could feel a burn on the tips of his ears.

“I...he...the...car—“

Manny chuckled as he walked away, leaving Sonny flustered and babbling.

Rafael arrived around five, just as he had the time before. As soon as Sonny spotted him, he swiped a hand through his hair to hopefully straighten it.

Manny watched him and cleared his throat.

Sonny glanced at him. “What?”

Manny gestured to his own forehead.

Confused, Sonny ignored him because Rafael approached.

“Hey,” Sonny said smoothly.

Rafael smiled. “Hey,” he replied.

Sonny couldn’t help but smile back. Even when Rafael looked up at Sonny’s forehead.

“You got a little...” he wiped at his own forehead.

Sonny swiped a fingertip over his forehead and it came away moist with grease. Then, Sonny turned red for an entirely different reason: embarrassment.

But Rafael was smiling softly at him. Sonny just quickly wiped his forehead with the least dirty rag he had on him.

“So,” Sonny said once he was sure he was clean. “What’s going on?”

Rafael looked between him and Manny. “Well, it, uh...sounds weird.”

Sonny looked at Manny. “Don’t you have an errand to run?”

Manny was grinning. “Nope.”

Sonny glared at him.

“Fine, fine,” Manny said, gathering his things.

This time, Manny said nothing when he left. He just winked at Sonny behind Rafael’s back.

Once again, Rafael led Sonny out to the car and Sonny was stunned by how beautiful the piece of equipment was. The black was even shinier than it had been, and Sonny had a lot of time to think about spreading the equally beautiful man out on top of it. He pushed those thoughts from his head as Rafael popped the hood.

“Hmm,” Sonny caught the problem instantly. He reached in and easily twisted the spark plug back into place. “There,” he said, shutting the hood. “That should be it.”

“That’s it?” Rafael asked, surprised.

Sonny nodded. “Yeah, that’s it.”

“Great,” Rafael said. “What do I owe you?”

Rafael had parked closer to the front of the shop this time and it was getting dark, so Sonny wandered back into the shop with Rafael on his heels.

“Uh, it’s on the house.”

Rafael looked skeptical. “What’s the discount this time?”

“All I did was turn a little thing.”

Sonny stepped around the counter because he didn’t trust himself to not do something stupid. He wanted a barrier between himself and Rafael.

Rafael leaned against the counter. “How long have you worked here?” Rafael asked.

Sonny snorted. “My entire life. Dom’s my dad. I’m Dom, actually. Dominick Carisi Jr., but everyone calls me Sonny. Are you a lawyer?” Sonny asked suddenly.

“What?”

“You mentioned court twice. Are you a lawyer or did you get this car some other way?”

Rafael laughed. “I’m a lawyer. Prosecutor for the Manhattan D.A.’s office.”

“I used to want to be a lawyer,” Sonny said.

“Why don’t you?”

Sonny raised his hands in demonstration. “This is my life.”

“I don’t think it has to be.”

Sonny shrugged. “I get to hang out with sexy cars all day.”

“Sexy?” Rafael asked, smirking.

Sonny smiled. “I like cars. There’s a problem to fix and I can fix it. You just...remedy problems.”

“Why not be a cop, then? Stop the problems?”

Sonny gestured around. “Did I not mention...”

“Yes, sexy cars,” Rafael said.

Sonny nodded. He reached over and took a book of invoices to check everything off for the end of the day.

“Am I keeping you?” Rafael asked.

“No, of course not. I just need to finish this. Do you have court tomorrow?”

They talked as Sonny worked. They talked about their work, the differences in their cities, many different things. They laughed. Sonny liked it.

It didn’t take long, but soon it was time for Sonny to lock up. When they walked back outside, the sun was down.

“So...” Sonny said, ready to ask Rafael to dinner.

“I’d better get back to the city,” Rafael cut him off.

“Oh, right,” Sonny said, walking Rafael to his car. “Uh, thanks for calling.”

“Thanks for your help. Again.”

Sonny nodded. He really didn’t want to let Rafael go, but he hardly knew the man.

“Call me again with any problem,” Sonny offered.

Rafael nodded, then pulled the driver side door open and slid in.

————

Sonny waited exactly two days before calling Rafael. Actually, he called three other numbers who called the shop the same days that Rafael had in hopes it would be him, and Sonny finally struck gold on the fourth call.

The delays didn’t impede Sonny’s plan to ask Rafael out. He was going to do it. Two meetings is enough. Their talking the entire second meeting was enough.

“Rafael Barba,” he answered.

“Rafael? It’s Sonny. From Dom’s Auto.”

“Oh? Uh, hi. Hello.”

“Hello,” Sonny replied, biting back a smile, hoping it didn’t come through in his voice.

“What, uh...what can I do for you?”

“How’s the car?”

“You’re calling about my car?”

“Well, you know, doctors follow up on their patients.”

“Well,” Rafael sounded amused. “I haven’t driven it since the other day.”

“Oh?” Sonny asked. “Gotta take her for a spin.”

“Her?”

“Well, yeah. Aren’t vehicles usually ‘her’?”

“I thought that was just a macho-man thing.”

“Fine, it. You could, uh...drive it out here. I know a great lunch place—“

“Do you...want to go on a date with my car?”

“Yes,” Sonny automatically answered, then thought about it. “Wait, no. Yes, date. No car.”

“English isn’t my first language, but I’m pretty sure that’s not even English.”

Sonny took a deep breath and thought about hanging up, but he gathered himself quickly.

“You and me. Date.”

Rafael chuckled. “Okay. You and me. Date.”

Rafael offered to meet Sonny the next evening. Sonny told Rafael he could pick him up at the shop, then he hung up giddy like a school kid.

————-

Rafael got out of the car when he picked Sonny up. Sonny thought he was being chivalrous, but Rafael tossed him the keys.

“What, I can drive?” Sonny asked, shocked.

“I haven’t even let you pull it into the garage. I’m sure you’re dying to drive it.”

Sonny was, but he wasn’t going to admit that until the next date. But he didn’t argue. He eagerly got into the drivers seat and started it up.

“My god,” Sonny sighed.

“Do you always sound like that when you start a car?”

“Like what?” Sonny asked.

“Like you...want to fuck it?”

Sonny laughed. “I really like cars, okay?”

“Okay...”

“I’ll try to stop.”

“No, it’s...” Rafael licked his lips. “Fine.”

Sonny grinned and backed out of the parking lot.

After dinner, Rafael drove Sonny to his apartment to drop him off. There was a shared kiss in the front seat of the car, and Sonny left the car so happy.

————

“Oi, lover boy! Mrs. Sanchez is bringing her car in!” Manny yelled from the shop door. “Please stop yourself from making out on top of that one, too!”

Rafael’s tongue was no longer in Sonny’s mouth, but he was still secure between Sonny’s legs, and Sonny was still sitting on the hood of his jet black ‘68 Mustang.

Sonny was holding Rafael’s face.

“Ignore him,” Sonny whispered.

“In six months, I have learned how to ignore him.”

Sonny licked his lips and looked at Rafael’s. It was so hard to keep his hands off Rafael, his lips to himself. Especially with the car. The car was like an aphrodisiac. On the car, in the car. The rumble of the engine got him going. Rafael’s hand on his thigh as they drive down the street was so good.

“I love this car,” Sonny said.

“I thought you love me.”

Sonny stroked his cheek. “I love you and this car.”

“In that order?”

Sonny played with his ears. “I make out with you, don’t I?”

“Only because people would look at you funny for fucking a car.”

Sonny lifted a hand off Rafael’s face and touched the hood of the car.

“Sonny!” Manny yelled from the door again.

Sonny rolled his eyes.

“I have to go anyway,” Rafael said, “I have court in an hour.”

Sonny frowned. He patted the car again.

Rafael sighed. “Do you want me to take your car so you can have this one?”

Sonny lit up. If he couldn’t have Rafael, at least he could have the car.

“Meet me at my apartment tonight,” Rafael said, kissing Sonny’s forehead.

Sonny nodded. He slid off the hood of the car. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Sonny turned and smiled at the car. “I love you, too.”

“You’re only dating me for my car.”

“And?” Sonny asked, not looking at Rafael.

Rafael pinched his butt playfully. Sonny yelped and laughed.

“Okay,” Rafael said, “I’m really leaving.”

Sonny frowned again and turned to him. He grabbed Rafael’s tie.

“Be careful.”

“You too.”

Sonny kissed him gently.

Car horns were heard honking from across the parking lot.

“Fine!” Sonny yelled, letting Rafael go.

“Love you,” Rafael said.

“Love you, baby.”

The horn sounded again.

“Shut up!” Sonny yelled, then rushed into the shop.

He watched Rafael walk across the parking lot to take Sonny’s car, waving at Manny as he went and looking dapper as ever, ready for work.

Sonny aches for him already, as Rafael drove away. But then Sonny glanced at the ‘68 Mustang parked in its usual spot and he didn’t feel so far away from Rafael.


End file.
